Agricultural harvesting heads are designed to be mounted on the front ends of agricultural harvesters. Typically, the agricultural harvesting head is configured to be supported on a feederhouse that extends forward from the front of the agricultural harvester. The feederhouse has an internal conveyor which conveys cut crop from the harvesting head to the agricultural harvester itself.
Typically, the agricultural harvesting head is pivotally connected to the agricultural harvester and is supported by hydraulic cylinders that are disposed beneath the feederhouse. As the hydraulic cylinders extend, they push against the lower portion of the feederhouse, causing the front end of the feederhouse to pivot upward with respect to the agricultural harvester, and vice versa.
In this manner, the height of the front of the feederhouse, and therefore the height of the agricultural harvesting head itself with respect to the ground can be increased or decreased. During operation of the agricultural harvester, it is often necessary to change the height of the agricultural harvesting head to harvest crops more efficiently.
Agricultural harvesting heads have increased in width and therefore in weight over time. To support this additional weight, hydraulic lift cylinders with larger pistons and therefore larger cylinders are required. This increases the weight of the agricultural harvester. It also increases the volume of high-pressure hydraulic fluid that must be generated and pumped into and out of the hydraulic cylinders as the agricultural harvesting head is alternately raised and lowered during harvesting.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved support arrangement for supporting the weight of agricultural harvesting head on the front of an agricultural harvester.
It is an object of this invention to provide such an improved support arrangement.